The Members of the Arcade Fire Want You to Help Them Give $1 Million to Haiti

At this year’s Quebec Summer Festival, the Arcade Firetook the stage to share some music before making a promise and plea to their fans. Lead singers Win Butler and Régine Chassagne announced that they had formed Kanpe, a non-profit organization for Canadians to help Haiti in its current state of poverty. Butler told audience members they could donate $5 to the relief by sending a text to 30333 and that Arcade Fire would match every dollar, up to $1 million (Canadian). The Haitian band Ram, which opened the concert, joined Arcade Fire on stage to play its song “Haiti” from Funeral.

Since Haiti was devastated by an earthquake six months ago, Arcade Fire has been dedicated to relief efforts. Chassagne, whose parents emigrated from Haiti, wrote an editorial for the British newspaper The Observer shortly after the incident. A month later, the band licensed its song “Wake Up” to be used during the Super Bowl, with all proceeds going to help Haiti.